


So That We Never Have to Part Again

by ChiaRoseKuro



Series: A World of One's Own [17]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempt at Humor, Drabble, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Prompt Fic, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-12 21:22:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16879413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChiaRoseKuro/pseuds/ChiaRoseKuro
Summary: The day is as clear in his mind as it was a year ago, the sight of his left shoulder bloody and bereft of an arm even as Naruto smiled at him with tears in his eyes—Sasuke rubs at the tender lump on his head and scowls at Sakura, but it’s Naruto’s smile that again dominates his vision.It’s been a year since he came back to Konoha, and…“Smilealready, you bastard!” Naruto yells, and…(the days bleed into one another, more often than not, but occasionally things glimmer in Sasuke's monotonous life)





	So That We Never Have to Part Again

**Author's Note:**

> Whilst this is written in an entirely different vein to [In the 5am Light](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14073972), this drabble functions as its loose sequel - or it could be read on its own, if you so wish. The universes are similar enough (in that this is post-699 canon) and dissimilar enough (in tone, more than anything else) that you could really swing either way - but beyond that, there's really nothing much else in the way of warnings or especial notes. Unless really dry humour and the vaguest mention of a homosexual relationship offends you, in which case - the back button is now your best friend.
> 
> Special thanks to Kenshi Yonezu's _Orion_ for functioning as the title and lending its whimsical melody to the tone of the story, in some sense, and the prompt 'Quick, hide behind the sofa!' for injecting a faintly ridiculous air into it all. Beyond that... I think I've managed to run out of things to say, for once in my life, so go forth and read at your leisure.

* * *

 

There’s two chakra signatures behind the door, and Sasuke doesn’t know what to make of them.

It’s hard to tell their exact flavours or pinpoint who they belong to—for all that Sasuke retained some measure of freedom, his exoneration wasn’t without a price. Sharingan permanently disabled, with an ANBU guard at all times whenever he stepped foot outside the apartment—their Last Loyal Uchiha is nothing but a pet, now, and he feels those shackles clinking whenever he moves.

Had he known what life would be like when he returned, would he have gone with his original plan back then? Would he have faced down Naruto one last time and taken a Rasengan to his chest?

What little unsealed chakra he has left trickles to Sasuke’s ears, and it’s just enough to pick out a strangled hiss. When he puts his hand to the door, it ceases, but—

His ANBU guards are no longer around, as far as he can sense them. If this was a malicious plan… if they had chosen to neglect him and brush off the responsibility so he could finally be taken off their hands…

The door goes down in a hail of splinters and Sasuke’s foot strikes flesh.

“ _Ow!_ ” someone whines beneath his sandal, but Sasuke doesn’t let up until the dust settles. It’s only when he’s shifted a little that he sees blue eyes cracked open, whisker-marks stark against displaced sawdust as he coughs and moans, “What the hell, Sasuke, don’t you know how to use a key?”

“Hn,” Sasuke replies, if only because Naruto looks no worse for wear—beyond sawdust in his hair and a footprint on one cheek, anyway. It’s almost enough to get a smile from him, twisted and jaded as it might be, but he settles for a roll of his eyes and a smooth, “Don’t come into my apartment without permission, then.”

It’s a thinly-veiled excuse at best—anyone with even the vaguest suspicion against Sasuke is free to report it to the local authorities, and he’s not exactly well-liked amongst the post-Uchiha police force. Any moron with a search warrant can burst into his home and conduct a raid, upend what little he’s allowed to keep for the smallest piece of evidence that can see him incarcerated or, worse, executed, but…

“This wouldn’t happen if you’d let me _in_ from time to time,” Naruto grumbles, and Sasuke ignores the unsaid words between them.

Just like near-death experiences, the vitriol they half-heartedly meant and the scars they’ll never quite erase—it lies in plain sight, and neither of them look too closely for fear of falling beneath the surface.

…Which is not the problem Sasuke perceives when he sees bright pink behind his couch.

“Sakura,” Sasuke manages, in between the crushing disappointment and Sakura’s sheepish look as she stands up, “you’re a _ninja_.”

“Yeah, tell _that_ to the door you just murdered,” someone grumbles, but only twin expressions of the utmost innocence greet him when Sasuke turns around.

It still begs the question, though—why is there someone beside himself in his flat, and what god did he offend to deserve this? Sasuke mutters to himself as he wanders to the kitchen, the remnants of his old team trailing behind him, and he’s almost got the answer when he opens the fridge door.

At least, until he catches sight of a crate of tomatoes.

In the sudden silence that falls, Naruto hastens to say, “They’re actual, edible tomatoes—Sakura and I bought them in the market this morning, the vendor told us it was fresh—”

“But why?” Sasuke asks in a carefully neutral voice.

“Why?” Naruto echoes, face shading towards incredulity even as Sasuke’s turns blank. “You mean—you don’t—”

“It’s been a year since you came back to Konoha, you idiot!” Sakura finishes when Naruto’s left gaping, bringing her fist down none-too-gently on Sasuke’s head. “Fifty-two weeks have passed since you were formally reinstated as a citizen of Konoha, three hundred and sixty-five days have elapsed since you and _this_ idiot here almost destroyed the Valley of the End—do I need to continue, or do you get the message already?”

The day is as clear in his mind as it was a year ago, the sight of his left shoulder bloody and bereft of an arm even as Naruto smiled at him with tears in his eyes—Sasuke rubs at the tender lump on his head and scowls at Sakura, but it’s Naruto’s smile that again dominates his vision.

It’s been a year since he came back to Konoha, and…

“ _Smile_ already, you bastard!” Naruto yells, and…

“You’re not getting any tomatoes until you fix the door,” Sasuke replies, and leaves the kitchen to Naruto’s howls of protest and Sakura’s even louder remonstrations.

(but if he curls into Naruto’s side that night and whispers _happy anniversary, dead-last idiot_ … then he can blame it on contagious sentimentality and leave it at that)

**Author's Note:**

> For further author notes and other things related to this fic or series, feel free to check out my [blog](https://chiarosekuro.wordpress.com/). I've got other writing stuff on there as well, if that piques your interest, but you're best checking out 'So That We Never Have to Part Again' or 'A World of One's Own' if you want this fic/series specifically.


End file.
